• DOI:10.2307/750447
• Corpus ID: 192376568

The Mosaic of the Great Palace in Constantinople

@article{Brett1942TheMO,
  title={The Mosaic of the Great Palace in Constantinople},
  author={Gerard Brett},
  journal={Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes},
  year={1942},
  volume={5},
  pages={34 - 43}
}

• G. Brett
• Published 1 January 1942
• History
• Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes

The mosaic, excavated by the Walker Trust of the University of St. Andrews on the site of the Great Palace in Constantinople, formed the floor of colonnades surrounding a courtyard which has been identified with the later Heliakon of the Pharos. Stretches of it have been found on the northeast, north-west and south-west sides of the courtyard. The mosaic consists of a central strip with a triple border on either side. The central strip is decorated with individual figures or scenes, arranged chiefly in three registers and isolated on a white background worked with a shell pattern. The border contained an acanthus scroll, proceeding, in the one extant example, from a leaf mask in the centre of the colonnade; the motive in the only corner uncovered appears to be the root of the acanthus plant. This scroll is bordered on either side by a strip of twisted ribbon and crowfoot motives.' The evidence of sherds establishes a terminus post quem of the first years of the 5th century A.D. for the date of the building period to which the mosaic belongs; and that of capitals and other details of sculpture suggests a date in the reign of Theodosius II (408-450), probably during its earlier years. No inscription to confirm this has yet been discovered on the mosaic, but internal evidence points to the same period. The closest parallel to the dress and coiffure of any figure on the mosaic is that of a 'venator' on a hunting diptych said by Delbriick to belong to the "Eastern Empire, after 4o00";2 another type of coiffure shown in the mosaic was coming into fashion by the turn of the 4th to the 5th century. The spatha carried by one of the figures has close parallels on silver dishes and diptychs dating from the same period.